Not All Clones Are the Same
by Shasan1998
Summary: A clone troop goes through self discover amid war, when coming to a relational that he was programmed differently from the others he is asked to fight with.
1. Chapter 1

Introduction

In the wake of War our true personality is shown, as we fight the Separatists those of the Republic have shown their true nature. They send us, expendable "humans" to do their bidding. What does it accomplish? Who is the real evil in the universe? I'm E11E1, codenamed Dreamer, and I am a clone commander of the Republic under the Master Jedi Anakin Skywalker. We have fought in many battles together over the last couple of years, seeing great tragedies. I can not describe all I have seen but the scars that I have gotten are not all skin deep, most are unseen and unknown by my squads. Another thing that I learned is that thinking differently and choosing what to do is what has kept me alive during every battle. I am different from other clones; I do not have to follow every order I choose to. I do not have to be blind to every promise made to me. I was created in a lab with millions of others who look like me, which is where we will start this memory.

On Kamino we are taught be one in mind and work together in all situation. As we trained together, I was put with three of the best cadets, I grew close to them; CC 2132 "Striker", FN 4645 "Bombard", and CT 9824 "Captain". Though I was among the best, I was but a lackluster trooper, I gain my name from training with my head in the stars and not on the objective at hand. Life became harder as training progressed, I found myself unable to remember commands, not even knowing what each command meant. With the help of others, I passed training at the bottom of my class and was to be a trooper never meant to do more than follow others into battle. To my surprise I was in a squad for frontline duties under a Jedi Knight, it came as a shock to me. Though we did see them come to inspect our progress from time to time never did I think to be fighting along side them. As we prepared to leave Kamino (my hell of a home) we boarded our Star Destroyer not knowing where to go.

I was put into a new squadron and found my new platoon; my captain was known to be the best of the best and expect the same from all the men in his unit. As we were preparing to enter a hostile area to retake the plant of Felucia the captain came to me and told me that I need to be checked out for, "not being in the right mind set, you are messing up this squad it will cost us lives out there". As I was being checked by GH-7 it came across an unusual discovery my brain was missing something that made me act the way I did. The Jedi seemed very interested in what it was. My captain even was yelling at the other new troopers pointing out of the blast doors till they all filled out.

As I am told the news of what makes me who I am, they looked at me the Jedi as if I was broken and lost. The Clones looked at me as if I was a monster and I might destroy them at any time. I could not believe them instead of seeing a struggle of a clone that might have been struggling they worried about themselves. So, I do not have a chip in my head that makes me an emotionless, subservient, obedient to a fault. Bombard, Striker, and Captain were just happy to know that I was still fit to fight in a battle… They are the few I could rely on to pick me up and dust me off, push me forward, made me the soldier I am today. Now we head towards a plant that I know all too well that haunts me as I sleep. It is like a hot, humid, playground for the vilest of creatures and we need to get it back.

I think I might be getting ahead of myself; this story was not one of Romance or battle making me a better person. It is about how the war can change you but if you choose to lose your gift of agency, the war is the least of your problems. You might be expecting some thing to do with the Force and how it changes everything in the universe. Well that's bullshit, the Force is used by Jedi and can be used to control others in the heat of battle use your wit, courage, and commitment to do what is right. I care for those around me in a way other clones have never been able to feel. So, it starts in a galaxy many miles away for before many of you were born.

Kamino is Not for Every Clone

I do not remember when life began but I will start where I can remember… Laser blasts shoot passed my helmet and hits the wall "pishew" I curl up throwing my weapon on the deck next to Captain. The world went silent all I could hear was a faint screech as the room seemed to close in around me. The voice of our commander was the next thing I heard as he walked up to me. Removing my helmet with such force that I thought my head would rip from my neck, finally relieving me from this purgatory. I was not that lucky I instead got, "What the hell was that E11E1 you look like you were trying to sleep and dream this simulation away!" I stand up face from sweat and tears. He continues, "I gave an order for you to take the objective working as a squad, what is the problem with that order?" I knew it was rhetorical, any answer I gave would still be punished by either more simulations or exercise. I stood there looking blankly at him as he continues to foam at the mouth. "Are you sleeping E11E1? Is that why you couldn't complete the orders? Should I let you dream your days away here so you can die in battle? Answer me you grunt?" N…nn…No sir I am listening and do not have a response that will not lead to punishment Sir"! I struggle as the commander continues to scream nonsense when I hear a few others come to my aid. Captain asked to talk with the commander in private, the only way to diffuse him is to ask about the huge scar on his face from his battle on Genosis, Bombard stood between us, his development was far ahead of us all so he was fully developed into a mature clone the rest of us still had a few weeks to completely mature. Striker, who was the reason we had to do this extra battle simulation. Mouthing off to a Droid was one thing pushing the Commander was another. Striker ushered me to the blast doors as I heard Captain ask to hear the same damn story we heard every time one of us stepped out of line.

"What happened Dreamer, you usually can stay behind us let off a few blasts here and there like we practice making it look good!" Striker continued to scold me with those same stupid questions ask of me so many times always leading to what I did wrong. I never knew why I did something the way I did. We returned to the barracks Striker left me alone with my thoughts and a small hand bound book pages never cut the right way so ends stuck out each way. I opened to the first page titled, "Orders of Clones". I made it after the first week we were given orders, everyone seemed to already know them and how to execute them with precision. I flip till I get to the order I neglected in training. I guess I was to get in a formation with my squad and move toward the objective at all costs… So, move to my death in the name of some government who would not even come visit us themselves. As I began to move from embarrassment into rage, the blast door opens revealing my squad all getting back from a bedtime story from the commander, probably the one about how a Jedi let him hold his lightsaber once… As they walk in, they gesture that they are not alone, the book needs to go back to its spot between the walls of my storage container. As I finish stuffing away the contraband, I turn to see a few Jedi Knights moving through the corridor with Lama Su who we were used to seeing almost daily. We stand at attention waiting for the Jedi to get to the back of the room. As they approached me Lama tried to get them to move past me quickly pointing out the accelerated rate of Bombard who was my bunk mate. The younger of the two Jedi approached me. He was a pale young man with a childlike face, the only thing that changed that was a scar that was over his eye from who knows what.

"Anakin what ever are you doing?" the elder one darts his eyes at him as if to tell him he was out of line. "Master, I feel something… what is your name clone?" I stood up straighter, my name is Drea… My name is E11E1, … sir! He looks at me as if he is looking into my soul it was very weird, finally the other Jedi walked up pulling him and motioned him to the next room. The Commander was the next one in the room… I got in the position I was usually in when he showed up. Planked ready to push the ground for the next two weeks before they put me in a battle and death would finally come to me. This time he looked nervous as he walked with his helmet under his arm.

"Clones! Get battle ready, full armor, by ready in 10 minutes next to the simulation room! Let's move quickly Clones"! I was almost ready when I stuffed the small book from my storage in an ammo pack, praying that no inspection would be done during this drill I was done with doing simulation drills every day. When we got to the blast door something was different, we could hear shooting and explosions like we were late for the simulation. Then a rush of white goes past us blaster raised, "Come on you grunts! In the name of the Republic!" Blast doors open to reveal battle droids in formation coming right AT US! Damn droids found us! Looks like I would meet the Gods sooner then I thought. We moved in behind the commander getting into formation ready to push back the clunkers to rust in a heap. We moved clearing our way, well Striker, Captain, and Bombard cleared the way I more just moved behind the group takin a shot here and there towards the enemy. I noticed something they were flacking us moving to overrun us and surround us. Get the Metal heads! We have them on the run! Was I the only one to notice the battle droid's movement? They are over taking us, going to take the base. I turn and fire a few shots at the droids knocking them down, but more began to break out left flank. That was when I noticed a blaster cannon on the ground. I ran toward it, sliding in take it to shoulder. The weight puts me off balance and I fire almost a worrying shot right passed the droids and into the wall. That catches the attention of Striker who comes to cover me as I load another rocket in the barrel. I go to move it to my shoulder as it comes up I get pushed back with great force as I get my bearings I notice Captain and Striker are back to back firing their pistols at this point having run out of ammo for the blasters. I pick up the rocket launcher and look for a massive target. In the crosshairs comes a command center for droids I release the rocket which propels me back into the hands of Bombard who lifts me to see the center blow up and the droids slump over.

As I get to mine own feet, I hear clapping even cheering. I look around at the other squads and commanders none of them are applauding or even looking in our direction. The top of the room dissipates to show clear glass with several Jedi and Kaminoans watching over us like celestials. They looked not only happy but impressed by our squad working on its own. As we left the room, we realized that we had just tasted our first battle, though we did well it seemed too easy to me. We were met by the Jedi Master to the younger one we met with before. He did not smile at me he to stared at me with intensity I could almost feel him looking into my soul. He approached me in a sly way saying, "I hope that book in your pack help more than the blaster munition that was supposed to be there…" How did he know, they were gone by the time, I took it out and packed it away? My hand moved towards the area of the pack when I felt something crumble under my hands I gazed down to see that I was not injured by the shot in the slightest, but the pack on my side and the book hidden their was now completely destroyed. I took the pack and threw it back into the room to be destroyed with all the droids before anyone else noticed.

After the Kaminoans told of our great success in the "battle" we were told that this was the end of our training when we matured in the next week, we would be sent to battle with the Jedi we saw that day. The next few days seemed like a blur, we grew to full maturity looking like Bombard, only now he looked about twice our size now a mountain of a clone. We received more training


	2. Chapter 2

Clarity Found Among Nothing

We were marched into a formation with a mass number of troops, armored vehicles, and starfighters. The battalion boarded the Star Destroyers, a relatively small group compared to those that we saw leave before us. As we settled into the barracks yet to unpack all of our gear, we were mustered by our Jedi Commanders, as we stood in formation we saw what looked like a young Jedi, a Padawan learner who had seen lots of war and loss... As he reached one end another Jedi emerged this one looked more mature and fuller of wisdom. He spoke to us with a gentle voice:

Men we have something to discuss, when you were brought onto the carrier you became a troop for the Galactic Republic. We see you as fellow soldiers we will introduce ourselves so you can trust us. We sense many of you do not trust us because you do not know us. I am Obi-wan Kenobi a Jedi Knight over your Red and Green Squads, those men who are under my command step out of formation you are dismissed General Skywalker wished to be with is Squads…

As they filed out, we were joined by the young Commander, he had dark circles under his eyes, passing through his right eye was a scar that did not come from a blaster. Unlike the other Jedi he seemed to be greatly affected by the war. He did not say anything to our squad or the other two that were in formation just passing through the rows. In the deadly silence he stopped in front of a line and looked down pulling out three from the formation and sending them to the front. He eventually moved his way to our squad, this time it was different he completely bypassed all rows coming to a row made up of myself, Bombard, Captain and a few of the no names. He pulled out the three of us to the few chuckles and murmurs from those in our row.

The others were dismissed leaving the few who were put on the spot. Passing the soldiers was a droid, this was a medical droid. We only saw these droids when clones were unfit… Wait! I noticed a few were blind in one eye our scared from training accidents, Bombard looked like he could pull this man in half with little effort. As I moved down the line to see why everyone was there being checked out. I had an epiphany, why am I here? I was never harmed in training (most of them I hid behind the squad), had all my body parts, and I didn't look like I ate clones to grow in size. I was the last in the row, each of the clones were dismissed without any reasoning to why they are kept. The Young General and the Droid stopped on me,

Clone E11E1 how do you feel?

Good.

Can you move and bend to show a full range of motion? Good. Now stay perfectly still so I can do a full body scan. Oh? That's odd…

What is it rust bucket? Is this Clone fit to die for the Republic?

Well Master Jedi, Clone E11E1 is physically fit in every way. There is something strange about his head though…

Do not waste my time droid!

Sir, his inhibitor chip seems to be either malfunctioning or even less likely missing… I could not detect it he needs to go to the infirmary to have a more comprehensive examination.

General Skywalker looked at me, his eyes seemed to pier into my mind, I knew you were different. Follow this droid we will meet you down there.

Yes Sir! I walked away confused and full of questions; what is this chip they were talking about, how could this Jedi know something was different, who all knew, and would this send me to be discarded with those who weren't fit back on Kamino? The droid laid me on a table another droid came in and they both began to scan from head to toe. They through around medical words, I asked some of my questions but was left unanswered by these bolts with a mind… I was asked to turn my head to the right side and they both scanned my head their "heads" turning seemingly stumped. I opened my eyes to see a strange sight, more than a few Jedi and Commanders standing outside the room. Some who were onboard and others hologram images all watching the show, saying things I was unable to hear.

I was allowed to get up, a commanding Clone came in he informed he that he need me to get up and follow him to the brig I was to be kept there 'til further notice. I tried to understand what was going on, I tried to question the Officer who would not hear my pleas to return to my squad to prepare with them. He was not having it, him and a couple more clones pulled out their side arms. "E11E1, by command of the Galactic Republic you are under arrest for tampering with a Clone troopers inhibitor chip!" I reply, "what chip? Who is the clone that I tampered with?"

I was held in a cell made for those we were to fight, lost for words and confused about what had just transpired. I removed my armor and began to prepare to spend the night as a prison to those I pledged loyalty to days ago… My head fell on the "pillow" I pulled the hand towel over me, just as I closed by eyes the blast door opened, where stood guards, weapons drawn entering the room requesting me to withdraw to the back of the room. Swiftly entering a Jedi, the General over the other half of troops here … Rage surged through my body, who are these people they should not have me lock up like this, I am a person… well clone of a person. I sat down on the bed and stayed silent letting the tension build. The General spoke first:

Hello there, Dreamer anger towards us is irrational, it was not a decision we made only, we seem to have gotten off on the wrong foot. My name is Obi-Wan Kenobi a member of the Jedi Counsel. I am here to talk with you and answer your questions, which I sense you have many.

I was taken back; He knew what I was feeling? Well it was my turn now,

Why am I being held here, I have done nothing to any of you? I need to get back to my unit and prepare for our landing. I am no different in my actions from that of any unit sir, may I be dismissed to rejoin the forces?

Yes, Dreamer you may, after you answer this question, what is to be done if order 37 was to be given?


End file.
